In Memory Of George

Jane sat on her sofa in the living room of her house. Well, the house was formerly hers and her husband, George’s, house. It was very quiet in the house. She was wearing a black dress and she just came from the cemetery where George was just buried.

She looked all around her. The house and its contents reminded her of George. They were married for twenty years and she just turned forty. She still looked young for her age. She still doesn’t have wrinkles or gray hairs.

George has been good to her even when he died. He left her a fairly large fortune which would enable her to live comfortably, but not rich for the rest of her life. She doesn’t need to work to support herself.

George made sure of this. His will expressly stated that she would inherit all his wealth including the insurance money which she collected after his death. This was how much George loved Jane.

She touched her stomach. She felt the stirring baby inside, “George would have been happy now that we have a baby, but he’s gone now and I’m alone with this child.” Tears dropped from her eyes.

There was a knock at the door. She looked at the peephole of her door. It was Ringo, her husband’s best friend. She opened the door. “What do you want, Ringo?”

“I came for you and the baby. We’re free now, babe.” He tried to kiss her in the cheek, but she moved her head. “What’s wrong, babe?”

“It’s nothing. Come inside. I don’t want to be seen with you yet.” They walked to the living room. He slouched at the sofa while she stood in front of him. “Nice place you’ve got. You’ve got everything. Unfortunately, George can’t give you babies.”

Her face turned red, “Don’t insult George. He might be dead, but I still love him.” He smiled, “That’s not the impression I got when we were making love. You were screaming and groaning my name.”

“Don’t misunderstood Ringo. I only wanted sex from you. I only wanted a baby.” “And you’ve got it. Now, I want you, the baby and me to be together.” “I don’t love you, Ringo.”

“You might not love me, but I was able to give you the one thing that your husband cannot give you. I think I’m entitled to some compensation.” “What do you want, Ringo?”

“I want you, the baby and all of George’s wealth. A paternity test of the baby should support my claims.” “How dare you, Ringo!”

“If you don’t give me what I want, I’ll go public. You might not know it, but I’ve been recording all our lovemaking. It’s a kink of mine.” “You’re truly a very despicable man.”

“Say what you want against me, but right now, you got no choice but to give me what I want. You can start by giving me ten thousand dollars in cash. I know you have that much cash lying here somewhere.”

She became silent. Her face became very red. It was as if she wanted to kill him. “And while you’re at it, fix me a sandwich. I’m getting hungry sweetheart,” he grinned. “Wait over here. I’ll get you what you need.”

She went to the bedroom and when she came out, she was holding in her two hands a big cardboard box. She opened the box with one hand, simultaneously grabbed a gun from inside it, and pointed it at him.

“This is your compensation, Ringo” Ringo turned pale, “But you can’t shoot me, I’m the father of your baby.” “Correction, Ringo, George is the father of this baby.”

“I don’t understand, what do you mean?” “It was George who suggested that I have sex with you. He knows that you can produce babies based on your record with women.”

“Then your baby is mine, Jane. I am the father of your baby.” “You may be the physical father of this baby, but George is its father. Don’t think that George and me don’t know that you’ve been stealing large amounts of money from his company.”

“I’m still the father of the baby. Don’t change the subject, Jane.” “George and I have already paid for this baby by allowing you to steal money from his company.”

He tried to grab her but she was quick. Seconds later, he was laying on the floor of the living room with a fatal bullet wound on his chest. “This is your compensation, Ringo,” she said while looking at his dead body.

She called the police on her cellphone, “A man just tried to rape me. Luckily, I was able to shoot him.”

One and a half years later, a baby boy happily played in the living room of her house together with other baby children. Jane was talking to the other mothers who attended the birthday celebration of her baby boy.

She was holding a framed picture of George and showing it to the other mothers, “This is George, my dead but not forgotten husband.” One of the mothers smiled, “George Junior does look like him a lot.”